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Parkland College Trustees Approve Aviation Programming

Trustees approved a three-year intergovernmental agreement with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Thursday, September 19, 2013

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Parkland College Board of Trustees last night approved a three-year intergovernmental agreement with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to transition the university's aviation programs to Parkland College. After sign-off by University of Illinois officials, Parkland will facilitate programming for fall 2014.

“The University of Illinois was eager to find ways to maintain flight training operations at Willard, and have mitigated many of the risks which could have deterred us from this venture,” said Tom Ramage, Parkland College president. The agreement includes lease of facilities and aircraft as well as marketing support.

Parkland will develop and provide a two-year aviation-related Associate in Science degree program that continues the pilot training activities of the UIUC Institute of Aviation, scheduled to expire next summer. Parkland plans to contract with Riverside Research, a not-for-profit engineering and technology research firm with expertise in aviation management, to assist with flight training operations and research.

“We are excited that Parkland College will continue this program, so that students throughout this community, including those at Illinois, will have a path into a great career,” said Phyllis Wise, chancellor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Parkland and the University of Illinois continue to work toward establishing aviation as a “Pathway Program” at Parkland, under which students may enroll in Parkland’s aviation program and simultaneously pursue bachelor’s degree studies at the University of Illinois.